"The other guy" is New York Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, and the comparison doesn't hold up. Gilbride went out of his way to imply that 49ers defensive end Justin Smith "gets away with murder" from officials. Harbaugh didn't spout off unaided. Reporters asked him to comment.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll has dismissed the notion that his secondary plays outside the rules and said: "I don't think a guy should be able to speak out and go ahead and cause an investigation. That's too easy. I don't think that's going to happen."

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If the NFL saw something unorthodox in the Seahawks' play against the 49ers, we haven't heard about it. This one's likely to go away -- at least until these teams meet again in Week 16.